1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sailboat heel compensation arrangements which, by lateral shifting of a ballasted keel maintains a sailboat in an upright orientation, and more particularly to improvements therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heel compensation of a sailboat has been known in the past. In particular reference is made to my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,903,827 issued Sept. 9, 1975 wherein a mechanism is described, which by transverse articulation of a sailboat mast articulates transversely and in the opposite direction a ballasted keel. By way of this mechanism, the center of gravity of the boat is laterally displaced relative the center of buoyancy to oppose the heeling moments applied to the sail. As result, the boat hull itself maintains essentially a horizontal position. While my prior patent generally describes such a system I now find certain improvements through which the root stresses of the mast can be significantly reduced while still accomplishing the same purpose.